The fight between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez was canceled last minute due to reported suspicious betting.
At the post fight presser, Dana White confirmed the fight was scrapped due to suspicious betting patterns.
Dana White reveals why Michael Johnson vs. Alexander Hernandez was pulled from #UFC324 at the last minute:
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 25, 2026
"We got called from the gaming integrity service, and I said I’m not doing this shit again. We pulled the fight." pic.twitter.com/l7hhqrTvXr
Money appears to have flooded in on 39-year-old Michael Johnson who was a +135 underdog against Alexander Hernandez less than 24 hours ago. 👀💰
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) January 23, 2026
The lightweight prelim bout is now a pick’em heading into #UFC324 tomorrow night.
Who is your money on? 🤔👇 pic.twitter.com/ZZAcU4LAwG
Obviously, the UFC wants to ensure integrity of the sport. If nothing else, there were 3 gambling sponsors last night and if there were any impropriety (i.e., fight fixing) it could torpedo one of the biggest reasons why fans watch the company.
Most recently, there was an allegation of a fight fix involving former UFC fighter Isaac Dulgarian. Dulgarian, a huge favorite, seemingly lost in the first round of a fight. The FBI investigated the match and the betting around it. The UFC cut Dulgarian.
Entering the Paramount + era, the UFC cannot make any missteps with its product lest fans and sponsors will turn away.
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